Lynn and Willett ahead in Austria

9/18/2010 4:04:50 PM

David Lynn (Getty Images)

English pair David Lynn and Danny Willett share the lead with a round to play at the Austrian GolfOpen presented by Botarin.

Veteran Lynn - who has won just once on The European Tour despite making the top 100 on The Race to Dubai every year since 2000 - carded an eight under 64 to reach 13 under par at Diamond Country Club.

He was joined by 22 year old Willett, who is looking for his maiden European Tour title but moved a step closer with a seven under 65.

The son of a preacher took full advantage of the two par fives on the front nine, reaching the green in two on both occasions.

At the sixth he left himself a tap-in for birdie and followed that by going one better with an eagle at the seventh.

That allowed him to turn in 33 and he burst to life on the back nine with five birdies in six holes, only to have his progress checked with a bogey at the 16th.

"I've been in contention a few times but I'm in a pretty good position now," said Willett. "I'll be a bit nervous on the first tee tomorrow but we'll just see what happens and just have fun.

"I've got a really important spell coming up towards the back end of the season - I've probably got six events left and pretty top-notch tournaments in the run-up to Dubai so hopefully I can keep plodding along a see if I can finish top 30 or top 15 in The Race to Dubai."

The 36 year old Lynn also did most his good work on the way in. An 80 yard chip in for eagle at the tenth igniting a back nine 30 that included four birdies in a row from the 12th.

"It's the lowest round I've had for quite some time," said the former KLM Open champion.

"It wasn't really looking like it was going to be much after the front nine but going round the turn I just caught fire and was six under for the first six holes of the back nine.

"I just got into a bit of a zone and I'd love to find that zone tomorrow. It's been a long time since I shot 64 in competitive golf - and I haven't got too many 64s on my golfing résumé. So it's a nice thing to go into Sunday with."

Another Englishman, Chris Gane, was joined by Swede Pelle Edberg and US Open Championship winner Graeme McDowell in a tie for third on 11 under.